When The Bell Tolls
by CornerBooth
Summary: A one shot set in season four, with a *death* twist on a version of In My Time of Dying....*there is death inside* sorry for not adding that summary sooner...my apologies.


He watched the motionless male figure as it lay in the bed, wires and tubes coming from his mouth and arms. The man before him was just involved in a major accident, his body now in a sedative state, his heart still beating according to the machines to the left of the body. Cuts and scrapes littered his face, his right eye almost swollen shut, layers of medication glossing the surface in order to fight infection.

"I don't understand" he said out loud as he turned to the woman next to him. Her long red mane brushing past her small shoulders.

"You will in time Sam, you just need to trust me."

"Trust you? You want me to trust a reaper?"

The woman's inquisitive hazel eyes looked up at her newest client, the man whose soul she was told to take with her at no expense.

"What happened to calling me Grace?" she asked.

"First names kind of went out the window when you showed your true self to me don't you think?"

Sam was referring to when he saw Grace's true image above his bed trying to take his soul only moments earlier.

"I have a job to do Sam, like you did."

"Did? You make it sound so past tense. I'm not going anywhere, especially not with you. My brother needs me; Dean needs me to help him in this battle with Lilith."

"Dean needs to fight this battle alone Sam, you did your part and now it's your time to rest."

"Rest? You want me to rest? I can't rest, I need to get back into my body, wake up and help Dean."

The young woman who stood by his side slipped out of the doorway.

"Where are you going?" Sam questioned rather loudly as nurses and doctors oblivious to his presence passed by him and made their way to other patient's rooms.

Sam quickly stepped and caught up with the woman, his pace now coming into stride with hers as they walked down the freshly mopped staircase.

"Where are we going?" he repeated once more.

"You'll see" she answered, never looking at the male at her side.

Sam continued to walk with her, until she stopped outside an opened door.

Sam brushed his hand over the plaque on the wall stating the room was the hospital's chapel, his skin never touching the white lettered word.

"Come inside" she said as she led the way into the dimly lit room.

Sam took a look around at the many candles that were lit in the back of the room, candles burning as prayers for loved ones that were ailing and in need of hope and healing. It was when he turned and looked towards the front of the chapel he saw two familiar faces. There sitting in one of the front pews was Dean, and next to him was Castiel.

"What is Dean doing in here? He isn't one for….." Sam paused.

"Praying?" Grace finished for him, her statement leaving Sam to nod his head.

"He is praying Sam, praying for you."

Sam edged closer to the two men, the one being his brother and best friend in the world, a man he would die for.

He stood close to Dean, listening as he spoke to Castiel.

"You have to help me Cas, you have to heal him, help him somehow….please."

"It's beyond my control Dean, it is God's will….."

"Don't give me that crap, after all I have done for you I deserve….we both deserve to be helped." Dean's voice echoed within the confined area, leaving Castiel to drop his head to his chest.

"That's it? No witty comeback?"

"I said Dean that I can't bring Sam back. It is his destiny to die."

Dean raised his hand to hit the pew in front of him, but brought it down without making contact. "I can't let him go, not again….I can't…I won't live without him. You brought me back, we were brothers again and now….and now this? I lose him?"

Castiel looked past Dean, and right at Sam. He could see the youngest Winchester, but didn't let on to Dean that he could.

"Sam is being kept alive by machines Dean, his soul…..his soul is trapped within it, and he needs to be set free."

"Do you hear that Sam? Free. Not trapped, but free."

"Free to go where, Heaven?"

"To a better place Sam."

"You know, years ago I would have believed that, but now? No."

"If you stay Sam, you will watch the ones you love die, you won't be able to stop it and when they move on….you will remain. You will remain here alone and angry. That is how vengeful spirits are born Sam. They remain in a place where they can only be a spectator and are left to only watch everything around them. They can't touch, they can't love….they can only be angry and alone."

Sam knew she was right about the vengeful spirit part. They were just that, vengeful…angry….alone. He didn't want that, not for him or for Dean.

"You know I am right Sam."

His eyes darted from hers to Castiel's who could only nod his head.

"What about Dean? Who will take care of him, he needs help in this fight he needs……"

"He will have all he needs Sam."

"Ok" he finally agreed. "I'll go, but I need to talk to Dean, one last time."

"That isn't possible Sam."

"But he needs to know….."

"He does Sam, he always has."

Sam bit down at his bottom lip. "Right" he responded. "Just…uh, give me a sec."

He took a few steps forward and stood directly behind Dean. Placing his hand near his shoulder, he closed his eyes, letting all of his energy fall from him onto Dean.

"Goodbye" he whispered.

Dean's eyes closed for an instant as he felt a sensation on his shoulder. He spun his head around, and saw nothing. "Sam?" he asked, his eyes scanning around the room.

Sam and Grace had already left, Sam's form being taken in by Grace's embrace, a white light filtering the room as both disappeared.

Upstairs in Sam's hospital room the doctors had done their best to revive him, but to no avail. It was at that moment, when they called his time of death and he disappeared in the magnificent white light that Dean felt different. He felt as though a piece of him was missing, but he also felt at peace. He knew then that Sam was gone, and as tears welled in his eyes he looked up above and gave a small smile.

"Bye Sammy" he hushed, as he let the tears flow without reserve.


End file.
